It passed the final hurdle in the UK. But they won't be performed until Summer 2014 because they're going to go over pensions and all that boring stuff. Not sure why its going to take almost a year, but hey at least they legalized it.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A same sex couple in Cincinnati could unravel the constitutional amendment in Ohio that declared marriage between a man and a woman.

"The case in Cincinnati is a real tragedy. We have two individuals, two men, and one of them is dying so it is very, very sad," said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. "But Ohio voters made it very, very clear what they wanted to do in regard to same sex marriage. My job as attorney general is to support the law and defend the law if it's attacked in court."

DeWine says he'll lead the fight against Federal Judge Timothy Black who ordered Ohio to recognize the marriage of a terminally ill gay man on his state death certificate.

After a 20 year relationship, Jim Obergefell and John Arthur were married in Maryland onboard a special medical jet earlier this month.

"I want what any other couple in the state would receive and that's recognition," said Obergefell. "When your spouse passes away, do you want your marriage recognized? Or when you pass away, do you want your spouse to have your marriage recognized? That's why it's important to me."

Black's temporary ruling will allow Obergefell to be listed as the spouse on the death certificate and enable Arthur to be buried where he wants.

"There are other long term implications that go beyond his life," said DeWine. "The survivor under this order would be able to take full advantage under Ohio tax law of being a surviving spouse. He would be able to take advantage under federal law, I assume, for Social Security and any other benefits that he might be entitled to as a result of being a spouse."

DeWine says he expects the case to reach the 6th Circuit, before ultimately being decided by the US Supreme Court.

Ian James from FreedomOhio says voters could solve this marriage issue long before the courts.

"This case is going to take years," James said. "I think everybody knows it could take five years or 60 months. We're going to be able to solve this problem with a vote of the people in November 2014."

James says despite questions over the timing, the Marriage Equality Amendment will be on the ballot next year. He also credits the couple for putting a real face on the marriage debate.

"I think we're going to look back and see these two gentlemen, and their sad story that is being told, on the foundation of love," said James. "They have availed themselves to the public and they're both to be commended."

With DeWine up for reelection next year, his Democratic opponent David Pepper has already raised the issue and criticized the Republican incumbent for not showing support for the couple.

"This case is a truly sad example of constitutional rights being violated," said Pepper. "I respectfully call upon DeWine to recognize the clear Constitutional wrongs taking place here and allow this couple to spend their final weeks together in dignity."

"Some states have gone one way, Ohio has not gone that way," said DeWine. "And we should allow the states to work this out state-by-state, respect the citizens of Ohio and respect the Ohio constitution."

I saw a former student of mine this evening. He was in fourth or fifth grade when I had him, and now he's most likely close to finishing high school. He's on the Spectrum, which can make his life challenging anyway, and he's clearly gay, which was not evident in elementary school.

I started to think about all these folks who worry themselves silly over the children of gay parents, but apparently don't really have any concerns about gay children. If they did, how could they possibly support separate but equal? How could they raise their own children to think that this former student of mine deserves anything less than what they want for their own kids? My immediate thought as he walked away with his dog was that I hope these people don't tell their kids that their gay classmates are somehow inferior to them. Because that's just what this young man doesn't need.

I agree, I don't think any kid needs yet another reason to be bullied or be called different. Especially because kids themselves don't discriminate like this. When they're young, they don't see difference between black or white, gay or straight, whatever. They play with people they like and that's that. Yet when they grow up, most kids tend to copy their parents. So if the parents are close minded and not allowing the kids to find their own ways, the same trends continue. At least it gets less strong as the generations pass, so eventually even these will be eradicated. It'll take a bloody long time though.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceRyan

And if U2 EVER did Hawkmoon live....and the version from the Lovetown Tour, my uterus would leave my body and fling itself at Bono - for realz.

Don't worry baby, it's gonna be all right. Uncertainty can be a guiding light...

That's definitely true. But I do see that most kids who are raised to be confident and comfortable with themselves are much less influenced by peer pressure than their peers whom aren't quite that confident. So I would say that part of that is influenced by their parents as well.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceRyan

And if U2 EVER did Hawkmoon live....and the version from the Lovetown Tour, my uterus would leave my body and fling itself at Bono - for realz.

Don't worry baby, it's gonna be all right. Uncertainty can be a guiding light...

All of this makes quite a bit of sense on one hand. It's tough to argue against the success you described. But I would be more curious what this generation of children (the ones being currently raised by gay/lesbian parents) will say after they've grown up - since they are, and should be, the focus of this discussion. This issue is not about what is best for homosexuals, it is about what is best for children.

I'm not quite sure what is meant by this angle of the discussion. Children grow up with their sense of normal derived from what they grow up with. The 'normal' becomes abnormal when it is treated as such for a long enough time. Growing up healthy and well nurtured comes from being taken care of and loved. Some adults are great at it - they, therefore, are classed as great parents. They are all kinds of people, as we all know; some are short, some are Korean, some are gay, some are old fashioned, some live in tree communes, etc. It's us on the outside who raise the doubts, who point, who say,"2 mothers! How inappropriate!". meanwhile that kid lives in a home where the single lounge chair is always mum jenny's, they go on a holiday each year to a new place in a new state (it's a family tradition), mum Kate collects books on Asian cooking but she never cooks it (she is actually a fairly sorry cook!), they have arguments over too much computer time and not enough homework time, mum Kate is a smoker and the rest of the household really wish she'd quit but she refuses even though she knows they are right and she should, etc etc etc. All households have their normal. All households have their good and bad influences on a child and all villages outside that home have theirs too. We're the villagers for everyone else's children. What are we doing for the children of families in our village to make sure they grow with self esteem and confidence? Are we telling them, "your mums are bad parents!... The shame of having such a childhood!... You'll probably be a lesbian now, too..." or are we treating all kids the same, helping them all strive to be decent people?

Its legal in large parts of New Mexico now. A bunch of counties have legalized it...which makes things interesting for other states where this might happen. The most heavily populated ones (where Santa Fe, Albuquerque are located).